Strum hard with a pick for a few years and the top of your acoustic starts collecting scratches, which is exactly what a pickguard is there to absorb. Yet some players swear their guitar breathes more freely once they peel it off.
So who’s right? The piece does sit on the part of the soundboard that’s busy making your tone, which means the worry isn’t crazy.
It just turns out the effect is smaller than most people assume. This guide digs into how much a guard really changes the sound, what each material brings, and the steps to fit or peel one off at home.
First, let’s cover what a pickguard is and why guitars wear them.
What Is a Pickguard and Why Do Guitars Have Them?
A pickguard is a piece of protective material and an acoustic guitar part that keeps the player from damaging their instrument. It’s usually made of plastic and typically covers the area just below the soundhole.
Its job is to shield the top of the guitar from being scratched by picks, fingernails, and rings. Strummers in particular can wear through a finish over time, and the pickguard takes that abuse instead of the wood.
Pickguard vs No Pickguard
A pickguard can affect the tone of your acoustic guitar. The reason is that it covers part of the top and prevents it from vibrating as freely.
When you play a pickguard-less acoustic guitar, the sound is usually a little wider and louder than when you play one with a pickguard. The difference is subtle and most noticeable on lightly built tops, but it’s real.
For many players the tradeoff is worth it. A small loss in volume and openness is a fair price for protecting the finish from years of pick wear.
Pickguard Materials
Pickguards come in a couple of common materials, and the choice affects both protection and tone.
- Plastic - This is the most common pickguard material. It’s usually used on affordable instruments and provides good protection. It still retains much of the natural tone of your acoustic guitar while shielding the top from damage.
- Wood - Most high-end guitars use wood pickguards, although plastic is still found on plenty of acoustics. Wood tends to be thinner and stiffer, which some players feel preserves more of the guitar’s natural resonance.
Wood vs Plastic Pickguards
Some players prefer plastic pickguards, and others prefer wood. Personally, I lean toward wood pickguards because they sound better to my ear.
That preference is also why wood pickguards cost more. They’re usually made from higher quality materials and can cover the top of an acoustic guitar more cleanly.
This is a matter of opinion, though, and you may favor one over the other based on your own guitar and playing style.
Can You Add a Pickguard to a Guitar That Doesn’t Have One?
Yes. If your acoustic guitar shipped without a pickguard and you want the extra protection, you can install one yourself.
Keep reading for the step-by-step process.
How to Add a Pickguard to an Acoustic Guitar
Installing a new pickguard on an acoustic guitar is fairly easy and inexpensive. You don’t need a guitar technician for this.
- Place the pickguard on the top of the guitar and position it where you want it installed.
Check whether any trimming is needed around the soundhole or the edge of the guitar, then set it aside. 2. Clean the area of the guitar top where you want to install the pickguard. 3. With a spray bottle, mist a tiny amount of soapy water onto the area where the pickguard will go. 4. Peel back the protective film on your pickguard, like a sticker. 5. Position it on the guitar.
The soapy water lets you slide it around and get it into just the right place. 6. Use a dry cloth to firmly wipe down the pickguard and push the water out from underneath. 7. Let it dry completely before playing.
How to Remove a Pickguard From an Acoustic Guitar
Removing a pickguard sounds intimidating, but it’s a simple process if you take your time through each step.
- If you’re replacing it, line a new pickguard up over the old one to confirm it covers the same footprint on the guitar.
- Heat the old pickguard with a hairdryer.
Don’t hold it too close, and be careful not to get the area too hot. 3. Once it’s warm enough, you should see the edges of the pickguard start to lift as the glue softens. 4. Slowly peel up the pickguard while continuing to run the hairdryer over it.
Again, make sure not to overheat the finish of the guitar. 5. Keep going until the pickguard is completely free from the guitar. 6. At this point you’ll see a fair amount of adhesive residue left behind.
This is normal. 7. Rub the residue off with your thumb.
It’s a slow process, but a few squirts of lemon oil speeds it up. Apply it to all the residue, let it sit for a while, then rub it away. 8. Once all the residue is gone, clean the area with a guitar polishing cloth and some guitar polish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a pickguard affect an electric guitar’s sound?
Not in any meaningful way. On an electric guitar, most of the sound comes from the pickups rather than the vibration of the body, so a pickguard makes very little audible difference.
That’s the opposite of an acoustic, where the vibrating top is the source of the tone and a pickguard can dampen it slightly.
Will removing the pickguard damage my acoustic guitar?
It can if you rush it. The adhesive holds tightly, and applying too much heat or pulling too fast can lift the finish along with the pickguard.
Work slowly, keep the hairdryer moving, and use lemon oil to break down the leftover residue. Done carefully, the top underneath is usually left clean and undamaged.
Do all acoustic guitars need a pickguard?
No. Plenty of fingerstyle players and classical guitarists use instruments with no pickguard at all, since they rarely strike the top with a pick.
If you strum hard with a pick, a pickguard is worth having to protect the finish. If you play gently or fingerpick, you may not need one.
How much does a pickguard change the tone?
The change is subtle, not dramatic. A pickguard lightly dampens the top, so the guitar may sound a touch quieter and less open, but most listeners won’t notice in normal playing.
The effect is more pronounced on thin, lightly braced tops and almost negligible on heavier-built guitars.
Final Thoughts
So, does a pickguard affect the sound of an acoustic guitar? Yes, but only slightly.
Because it covers part of the vibrating top, it gently dampens the tone and can make the guitar a little quieter and narrower than it’d be bare.
For most players that small tradeoff is worthwhile. A pickguard protects the finish from years of pick and fingernail wear, and the tonal difference is subtle enough that it rarely matters in everyday playing.
If you prefer the most open sound possible, you can remove the pickguard carefully with a hairdryer and some patience. If protection matters more to you, adding one is a cheap, easy job you can do at home.
